Hanging On for Hope
by H. James
Summary: After twisting her ankle on a cheerleader practice, Haley's taken to the hospital and ends up with not so good news. Meanwhile, Rachel's working her way into getting Haley out of the squad and take more control over it.
1. Chapter 1

Flushing the toilet, Haley sighed deeply as she shivered and opened the faucet to wash her face. She looked at the mirror and saw her messy hair and puffy eyes. The night had been long and she barely had any good quality sleep. Scratching her arm she dragged herself back to the bedroom but found it empty. Walking in the kitchen she saw Nathan by the stove very much into the cooking which she found amusing.

"What are you doing?" she asked stopping next to him and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Pancakes" he said showing her and then nodded towards the table, "And the scrambled eggs are done just like you like it."

As much as the pancakes seemed tempting to her, the simple glance at the scrambled eggs made her stomach turn upside down inside of her. She put one hand over her mouth and nose not to feel the smell of them.

"Are you ok?" Nathan asked noticing her stepping back.

"Yeah" she nodded, "I guess I ate something bad last night."

"At the dinner party? I told you not to eat those crabs, they weren't looking very good."

"We were at the Carl's Crab Shack, what else was I supposed to eat?" she complained taking a sit by the couch at the living room.

Nathan finished the pancakes and put them on a plate on the table, next to the eggs and walked after his wife.

"I told you I didn't wanna go anyway" he took a sit next to her and sighed, "I'm telling you I was sensing it."

She chuckled and gave a half smile, "It was Lucas' birthday. We couldn't miss that."

"Yeah, if you say so" he stared at her for a moment and glanced at the table, "Aren't you eating?"

She shook her head, "Thanks. I'll pass. I have to go get changed."

"Where are you going?"

"Practice. You know, the championship's coming and Brooke's turned into the cheer nazi again, so she scheduled an extra practice for today after lunch. And since we overslept..."

"But today's Sunday!"

"I know, but" she said getting up, "What can I do?" smiling, she kissed him on the forehead, "I'm gonna take a shower."

Watching her leave the room, Nathan leaned on the couch and yelled towards the hallway, "Wait for me!"

"I have to be quick!" she yelled back entering the bedroom to pick up a towel.

He smirked and as she walked to the bathroom he shouted again, "I can do that!"

"Shut up!" she shut the door behind her.

After Nathan dropped her in front of the school, Haley rushed her way to the basketball court where the cheerleading practice would take place. As she got closer, holding her pompons on her hands, she could hear Brooke's voice, yelling at some girl.

"I told you to take a step back!"

"But there's gonna be this huge space between me and Bevin for nothing?"

"How dumb or blind are you! We're one girl short. Do the math!" she snapped and turned around in time to see Haley sneaking in,

"About freaking time, Tutor Girl! Where were you?"

"Uh... home?" she said a little unsure and glancing around to see everyone was already there.

"Well, you are, now, late!" Brooke said putting both hands on her hips and walking to Haley, which made her a little nervous.

"But you said right after lunch! I'm not that late."

"I said 'brunch'!"

"Who takes brunch on a Sunday?"

"I do!" she said putting one hand over her chest and then pointing around, "And you all should too when we're just a few days away from the championship!"

Rolling her eyes, Peyton walked to Brooke and put one hand on her shoulder to make her stop for a moment, "Alright, Brooke. We got your point. Let's just go back to the dance" she glanced at Haley who nodded and mouthed a 'thank you'.

"Okay!" Brooke shouted clapping her hands together, "Let's try once without the pompons cause they're seeming to get on the way of your brain functions lately."

They all went next to the benches and put their pompons there. Haley did the same and got down to put her pompons on the floor, but once she got back up she felt the room spin around her and took one step back, losing her balance a little.

Peyton put one hand on her back to support her, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah" she said getting herself together again, "It's just... head rush."

Seeing how the girls weren't coming back from the benches, Brooke marched there somewhat without patience.

"What's this? What's going on?" she asked glancing around.

"Nothing" Haley shook her head with one hand over her stomach, "I think I ate something bad last night and I'm not feeling very well."

"You think it's food poison?" Peyton asked serious.

Brooke scoffed, "After working there and seeing how that place works on the inside, I wouldn't be surprised at all."

"You guys, I'm sure it's nothing..." Haley said going back to where they were, but Peyton followed her around.

"But it could be something. Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

"What? No! C'mon, it's nothing. Okay? Let's rehearsal" she turned to Brooke, "Right?"

"Yes!" Brooke said hyper, "Let's go, bitches!"

They all went back to their positions and Brooke pressed the button to play the music. She wasn't dancing, she was just standing in front of them, making sure they were doing it right. Every now and then she would walk to one of the girls and bitch about something and then go back to her front position. Just when they were about to finish the first set of the routine, the girls spun around at the same time, but by doing this Haley lost her balance when everything around her spun on a faster rhythm making her fell down on the floor. Standing right behind her, Peyton saw when she fell and ran to her.

"Haley!"

Brooke stopped the music and rushed next to the girls, "Are you ok?"

With a painful look on her face, Haley nodded, "Yeah I'm fine."

"You don't look so good", Rachel said standing next to Peyton and making a face.

Peyton shook her head trying to ignore her, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, totally" Haley said while trying to stand up but the pain on her ankle made her fall on her butt again, "Ouch!" she rubbed her ankle, "Ok maybe not."

"You twisted your ankle" Brooke said sighing and thinking, _Great!_.

"C'mon" Peyton put one of Haley's arm around her neck, "Help me get her up."

"Ok, I got her" Brooke did the same with the other arm and together they helped Haley to get up on her feet and walked her to the nearest bench.

Peyton took her cell phone from her bag and started to dial, "We gotta take you to the hospital."

"Who're you calling?" Haley asked putting her foot up on the bench.

"Nathan, so he can meet us there."

"Oh, you don't have to worry him with..." Haley was going to finish but Peyton waved for her to stop talking.

"Hey, Nathan. It's Peyton. Listen, uh, Haley fell during practice and kinda twisted her ankle so we're taking her to the hospital. Yeah. Ok, so we'll be there in 5 minutes. Alright, bye." She hung up and look at both Haley and Brooke, "He'll meet us there. Shall we?"

Leaning on both girls, Haley stood up and they walked off to Peyton's car.

Sitting on the hospital's stretcher Haley had her arms crossed and was shaking one of her legs, the one who hadn't the twisted ankle. She sighed bored and glanced at Brooke and Peyton who were standing next to her, just as bored.

"This is taking forever..."

"Yeah" Brooke said walking towards the door, "Are we waiting for the doctor to graduate to come and see her or what? I have other things to do!"

"It's Sunday, there're probably less doctors working on today's shift. We just have to wait a little longer" Peyton said shrugging.

Just as she finished saying that the door was opened and the doctor walked in. He was quite young and not bad looking either, which made Brooke suddenly change her mood. As he saw the girls he gave a warm smile and walked towards Haley on the stretcher.

"Hi, ladies, I'm Dr. Barnett" he stopped next to Haley while reading off the chart on his hands, "I'm guessing you're Mrs... Miss Scott?"

"It's Mrs." She said grinning.

"Really?" he glanced at her cheerleader outfit, "So you're either the oldest and yet more conserved cheerleader ever or you're in high school?"

"The last one."

He tilted his head to the side while reading his chart again, "Okay... so. What did you do to that ankle of yours?"

"I fell during a twist" she said staring at her own ankle.

"Practicing?" he asked already nodding. She nodded too and Brooke stepped in.

"You know, just for the record, she's the only one married" she grinned widely, "Or taken in any way for what it matters."

Peyton pulled her by the arm and forced a laugh, "I think we'll wait outside if that's ok."

The doctor nodded again, "Sure."

Haley put one hand on her face and shook her head to Brooke as she left with Peyton.

Entering the waiting room, Brooke was winning while Peyton rolled her eyes walking behind her.

"That was very rude of you, Peyton! I was having a conversation."

"You were flirting with the doctor! I thought you were with Lucas" she said eyeing her friend.

"And I am!" Brooke took a sit and crossed her legs, "But that doesn't mean I can't do some innocent flirting every now and then."

"You were heavily throwing yourself at him!"

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Whatever."

After the brief discussion between them, Nathan arrived and walked towards the balcony but once he glanced around he saw the girls and went to them.

"How's Haley?"

"She's with the doctor" Peyton said pointing to inside.

"And I'd be right there with them if I were you" Brooke said sounding innocent, "And Peyton can't say I was the only one who felt the tension in the air."

"Oh my God..." Peyton looked at her with a disgusted look.

"What?" Nathan sounded confused.

Peyton stood up and waited for Brooke to do the same, "I think it's ok for you to go in. Just ask to one of the nurses or something. And if you don't need us anymore, we're going. Ok?"

He nodded, "Yeah sure. Thanks for bringing her."

"Not to mention" Peyton smiled and give her hand to Brooke to hold, "C'mon, friend."

"Take my advice, Nate" Brooke patted him on the back and grabbed Peyton's hand, "Sure, friend!"


	2. Chapter 2

It was a sunny Monday in Tree Hill and about the time to classes start when Brooke spotted Lucas walking a little ahead of her. She rushed to him and took his hand while leaning to kiss him on the cheek.

"Morning, boyfriend!"

"Hey, there" he smiled and kissed her on the lips, "How's practice yesterday? You didn't call me after so I assume it was... long?"

"Oh, haven't you heard? Haley tripped and twisted her ankle so we had to take her to the hospital which delayed the practice in over an hour! Afterwards we started all over again, without her and kept going 'til I don't know when. By the end of the day I was so beaten I just went home, hit the shower and dropped in bed. Sorry..."

"Whoa" he said somewhat impressed, "You sure have a lot of breath to just dish it all at once like that" he giggled, "But come back to Haley, is she ok?"

"I guess so" she shrugged, "Tutor husband was there to hold her hand so I'm guessing she's terrific!"

They kept walking 'til Rachel saw them coming towards her and went ahead to meet them halfway and greet them.

"Top of the morning!" she said cheerfully.

Brooke was clearly annoyed, "It was up until now."

"Say Brooke, can I have a word with you?"

"As long it's the word 'no'."

Lucas felt the awkwardness between them but didn't say anything. Rachel tilted her head staring at him for a while.

"That's a really great shirt you got there, Luke. It really pops up your..." she stops to think and shrugs, "Teeth?"

"Thanks" he said not even faking appreciation.

"Seriously now, I need to talk with my Captain" she said smiling.

Shaking her head, Brooke waved her hand in the air and turned to Lucas, "It's like a band aid, the faster you pull, less the pain. I'll meet you later" she leaned to kiss him and watched him go. "So?" she asked turning back to Rachel.

"I want to talk about the routine."

"What about it?"

Walking ahead towards the benches under the trees, Rachel waited for Brooke to follow her, "Well, I just think it needs a change. Don't you?"

"No, I don't."

"Hello! Were even at practice yesterday? We were in total synchrony!"

"Yeah" Brooke crossed her arms, "Then why would I change it?"

"Because the official routine includes an extra cheerleader who twisted her ankle yesterday and weren't at most part of the practice."

"We practiced with an extra space for Haley to fit in afterwards."

Rachel shook her head looking up, "Only in the first three times. After that I asked Bevin to fill the space and stepped in right next to you. Didn't you notice?"

"You? Hardly ever" she said shooting a look at the girl, "Anyway if where you're going with all this is to ask me to count Haley out, then you're wasting your time. I'm not kicking her out."

"But the championship is in a week and she just got her ankle injured. How do you think she's gonna manage to stay all better and ready 'til then?"

"That's not your problem, now is it?" Brooke asked staring at her and then turning her back to leave her alone.

After leaving Brooke alone with Rachel, Lucas went inside the school and walking down the hallways he found Haley in front of her locker and went to her.

"Hales" he stopped next to her as she smiled to him, "Are you ok?"

She closed the locker and started to walk limping, "I'd say 90."

He took her arm and put around his, "Does it hurt?"

"Only when I walk" she says laughing.

"Right" he laughed too, "Where's Nathan to help you?"

"He's at the Coach's office. For what I understood you were supposed to be there too, weren't you?"

"Yeah, well..." he shrugged, "You seem to need help with this, so..."

"No way" she shook her head stopping in front of one of the classrooms, "I can handle it. Go talk to the Coach cause you know how he can be when we don't do what he says."

"Ok, but if you need anything..."

"I'll ask for my knight in shinning armor" she said teasing, "Now go, Luke!"

"See ya later" he walked away waving at her.

As the teacher explained something probably very important to someone at some point in their life, the students tried to keep themselves concentrated. Brooke, on the other hand, wasn't that much interested in focusing. She had a blank paper in front of her, she wrote something on it, folded carefully and quickly handed to Peyton next to her. Putting the folded paper on her lap, Peyton waited 'til the teacher looked the other way to open it up and read it.

_Rachel bitch wants to kick Tutor Girl out of the squad!  
The nerve of that skank!  
_

Peyton frowned at the paper and glanced to Brooke who had a 'I know!' expression on her face. She took a pen and wrote something down. Folded the paper and handed back to Brooke.

_Why would she do that?  
_

Brooke scoffed and wrote down as she somewhat acted her reaction. The teacher saw it but didn't give much attention. She gave the note back to Peyton who opened it again.

_Cause she's a slut and has no consideration to anyone!  
She's all about her! Slut! Who does she think she is?  
It's MY squad!  
_

As Peyton tried not to laugh at Brooke's complaints, the teacher approached her and looked down to her, "Ms. Sawyer, unless you want to share with us what's on this note, I strongly suggest that you keep it to yourself" she turned to Brooke, "The same goes to you, Ms. Davis."

Peyton and Brooke exchange looks as Peyton puts the note inside her book.

Classes were over and the bell had just rang. The hallways were filled with kids coming and going and meeting each other. Seeing how Haley was having some serious trouble in walking straight, Brooke rushed to her all hyper.

"Careful there, Tutor Girl! We don't want that ankle to be any more injured than already is" she smiled to the girl, "So I was thinking you could assist me today at practice, huh? I mean, you won't be dancing, but you can watch the routine to memorize it better and maybe keep an eye on Rachel and her screw ups, cause I know she does it."

"Uh..." Haley put some hair behind her ear as she stopped by the water cooler, "I don't think I'm gonna be able to go today. Sorry..."

"What? Why not?" Brooke put both hands on her waist.

"I'm sorry, Brooke. But the doctor asked me some exams to check on my dizziness and my upset stomach and I have to do them now at my lunch time."

"But if you don't go then she'll win!"

"Who'll win?" Haley frowned.

Shaking her head Brooke shrugged, "Nevermind. Your health comes first, right? Go take your exams and we'll talk later."

"Thanks" Haley smiled and walked away.

Watching the scene from a certain distance, Rachel waited 'til Haley was gone to come closer to Brooke and peek above her shoulder, from behind her.

"Where's she going?"

"To the doctor's" Brooke answered annoyed.

"Did her ankle get twisteder over night?"

Brooke scoffed and turned to her, "Your face will get twisteder if you don't back off and drop this stupid idea of kicking Haley out cause it ain't gonna happen."

"I'm sorry, but isn't she missing practice again? That's gonna be the second practice she'll be missing in less than a week for the Nationals."

"I can do the math, thanks."

"Really?" Rachel asked getting closer to her, "Then you can start to calculate what's gonna be our score at the championship once the judges see exactly what we did last practice: a routine with a big space to be filled. That's gonna count a lot to the 'harmony' category" with one eyebrow raised up, Rachel stared at Brooke for a brief moment and turned her back to walk away.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Thanks to all of you for your reviews! They're really, really important to me 'cause that way I can see if I'm going on the right direction or not. This fic is actually all done but I'm posting in parts… but I'm working on a new one and your comments about this fic will say if the next one's going to be posted or not. :D I need cheering up, people:P**_

A few days passed by and the week was almost ending. Haley hadn't missed any more practices but at the same time her ankle wasn't 100 yet so she hadn't actually rehearsed with the squad as much as she watched them do it so. It was Thursday afternoon and Nathan had gone home for a late lunch with Haley. She had barely touched her food and was already ready to leave home. He was putting the dishes in the sink when he saw his wife ready to go out.

"Where you going, Hales?"

"I'm, uh..." she hanged the purse on her shoulder, "I'm going to see Dr. Barnett."

"Again?" he dried his hands with the cloth, "If I didn't know you better I'd say you're having a thing with that guy" he scoffed, "It's like the third time you go there in less than a week!"

Forcing a smile, Haley shrugged, "He just asked me for some extra exams and I'm going to pick them up, that's all."

"What extra exams?"

"You know, for my upset stomach. To make sure it wasn't food poison."

"You told me he told you it was just a virus" Nathan frowned and got serious.

Haley took a sit on the couch and threw her hair behind her shoulders, "I kinda lied to you..."

"What?" he took a sit on the other couch, looking at her.

"I had been feeling nauseous from before Lucas' dinner party. I just didn't tell you anything cause I wanted to make sure first, but..." she looked down and then up again to him and continued almost on a whisper, "I thought I was pregnant."

"Haley..." he stood up and took a sit next to her, "You could've told me."

"I just didn't want to make a big deal out of it and turn out to be nothing" she got quiet for a moment and went on, "So I when I was at the hospital on Sunday I told that to Dr. Barnett and he asked me for a pregnancy exam but I couldn't wait that long so I bought one of them at a pharmacy and did it. It was negative" she felt Nathan holding her hand tightly, "So I went back there and he confirmed it. But he also said my exam had some alteration and he asked me for more exams to check that out."

"What kind of alterations?"

"On my uterus" she began to get teary, "He didn't tell me exactly but..." she took a deep breath and tried not to cry, "I'm afraid he's gonna tell me I can't get pregnant at all."

She started to cry and Nathan pulled her to a hug, "C'mon, Hales... don't say that. You don't know that yet. Tell you what, I'm gonna call at work and tell them I'm gonna be late. And I'm going with you to see Dr. Barnett. Ok?" he wiped away her tears gently, "We're gonna do this together."

She nodded, "Okay. Thanks" she hugged him again.

Laying on her bed, Peyton was making a sketch and got scared when Brooke walked in unannounced and jumped on her bed to take a sit.

"Whatcha doin', friend?"

"I _was_ trying to concentrate" she said sitting up on the bed, "What brings you here, B. Davis?"

"Rachel bitch" she said sighing, "Can you believe she's still bugging me with that story of kicking Haley out of the squad?"

"Yes, I do. She came to me with that too."

"She did?" Brooke gasped, "She's unbearable!"

Peyton giggled, "Man... she really gets on your nerves, doesn't she?"

"All of them" she said lifting one eyebrow, "Anyway let's not waste our precious time talking about her, let's talk about Haley. What's up with Tutor Girl? There's more there than the ankle, I can feel it!"

Closing her sketch book, Peyton took a deep breath before looking back at Brooke, "Ok... I wasn't supposed to tell you this but I know you care about her. Right?"

"Of course I do!" she answered almost offended.

"You can't tell this to anyone, ok? Not Lucas, not even Nathan."

Brooke crossed her heart with her fingers, "I promise."

"Haley's taking some exams this week. She thought she was pregnant but she wasn't and the doctor asked for some extra exams and now she's kinda freaking out cause she thinks there's something wrong with her."

"Is there?" Brooke asked on a whisper.

"She doesn't know yet. She's going to take the exams' result today."

"Alone? Why doesn't she tell this to Nathan? If there's something wrong with her she shouldn't go through this by herself."

"That's what I told her. But she didn't want to worry him and turn out to be nothing."

Brooke crossed her arms quietly, "Why didn't you go with her?"

"She said she had to do that by herself" Peyton shrugged.

"Oh, I see."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah" Brooke forced a smile, "I'm fine. So! Wanna go grab something to eat?"

"Sure" Peyton got up, "Just lemme change."

Nathan and Haley had been waiting for Dr. Barnett in his office for ten minutes now. Nathan glanced at his watch and nervously looked at the door.

"What's taking him so long?"

"I think he doesn't believe in time schedule or something cause he's always late" she looked at him for a moment, "Listen, if you have to go back to work..."

"No" he shook his head, "I ain't going until we find out what's going on. Ok?"

She nodded and Dr. Barnett finally arrived. He greeted them and took a sit by his desk, leaning back and taking Haley's exams on his hands. He took a while glancing at them in silence. Much for Nathan's irritation.

"So, doc, can you tell us what does it say?"

"Well" he said putting the papers back on his desk, "The alterations on your previous exam was because you were, once, pregnant. But wasn't anymore when you took the pregnancy test."

Both Haley and Nathan frowned but Haley shook her head, "How's that?"

"You were pregnant for about a week or less, I'm guessing here, and had a minor miscarriage that you probably didn't have any serious problems with it, just the upset stomach and the lost of equilibrium and so on. And that's what appeared as a strange factor on your first exam. But now for what I see in your new one, it's all right."

Haley blinked a few times to try to digest all that while Nathan moved on his chair trying to find a better position, "So... she was pregnant?"

"Yeah."

"But she's not anymore?"

"You're a smart kind of guy" the doctor answered with a smirk.

Waving her hand in the air, Haley leaned foreword, "If I had a miscarriage that means that I... there's something wrong with me. Isn't there?"

"No, not at all" he took the exams back on his hands and glanced it over again, "Not from what I'm seeing here. But we can always take some more specific exams if you want to."

"Then why did that happen?"

Leaning back on his chair, Dr. Barnett sighed, "Probably it was just a formation problem with the fetus, something very common, any woman's open to that. So your body naturally expelled it as a kind of protection. Since you didn't have any complications, I'm sure it didn't affect your uterus in any way either."

Haley looked at Nathan and he held her hand, "You're sure of that?"

"Hey" he smiled, "As long as I'm concerned you two can go home and make the baby right now!"

Nathan looked back at Haley and she laughed relieved, "Thanks, Dr. Barnett."

"Anytime, Haley" he shook her hand after she and Nathan stood up. He shook Nathan's as well and watched as they both left the office.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Sorry it took me forever and ever to update here. But I was so busy with lots of things to do and then I think I just… forgot :D but I was reminded of this story here by my lovely sister so here I am updating again. Hope you guys like it! **_

From behind the counter, Lucas heard Brooke and Peyton walking in. They went in with their arms locked and walked straight to Lucas.

"Hello, boyfriend."

"Hi, Brooke's boyfriend."

Smiling, Lucas bowed to greet them, "Hello girlfriend and girlfriend's friend."

"So what's to eat here?" Brooke peeked behind the counter.

"Uh" Lucas looked around him, "Nothing?"

"What?" Peyton asked walking around the counter to the same side he was on.

"We're hungry!"

"Sorry but we get the food supply from my mom's café and so far they didn't arrive."

"Now what we're gonna do?" Brooke leaned against the counter and pouted.

Peyton shrugged, "Let's go to Karen's."

"But I miss my boyfriend" she wined pulling Lucas by his neck and smooching his face against hers.

"Alright" Peyton rolled her eyes, "So I'll go to Karen's and bring us food."

"Yay!" Brooke clapped her hands and Peyton got out from behind the counter.

"I'll be right back."

"Ok... you know what I want, right?"

"Anything with chocolate?"

"That's my girl!" Brooke squealed.

Peyton left and Brooke jumped to sit on the counter. She turned and put her legs to the side Lucas was on and started to shake them in the air.

"So, what are we doing tonight?"

"I promised Skills I'd help him with the painting. You know, at his house and all..."

"Lucas Scott!" she snapped, "I haven't seen you properly for over a week now cause you've been working to your mom every night! I deserve some quality time with my boyfriend. I'm being a hell of a girlfriend, you know?"

"Sorry!" he put his hands up as giving up, "I was just kidding, Brooke" he got closer to her and leaned to kiss her, "I wouldn't trade a night with you for a night with Skills."

"You better don't cause that'd be the first and last time" she smirked and kissed him again, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Stomping his feet on the floor, Nathan walked in with Haley, "Hey there. I hope we're not interrupting."

Haley giggled, "No, hunnie. I don't think they were doing anything too important."

Brooke turned around and shot a look at Haley, "Yeah. Not yet!" she got out from the counter and stood next to Lucas.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" Lucas asked Nathan as he leaned against the counter.

"I called in sick" he glanced at Haley and smiled, "Had more important things to do."

"Ok so since you're here don't you wanna help me out to bring some of the liquors from the back?"

"Sure" Nathan kissed Haley on the cheek and went to help Lucas.

"What?" Brooke turned to Lucas outraged, "You have booze but not food?"

"Hey" he said following Nathan to the back, "Don't shoot the messenger."

Haley took a sit on one of the counter's bank and Brooke waited 'til they were alone to walk around the counter and take a sit next to her.

"So, what's new?"

"Nothing?" Haley shrugged.

"Really? That's not what I heard" she said on teasing tone.

"Care to elaborate that?"

Brooke sighed, "Peyton told me about your... problem. I mean, that you think you have."

"What?" Haley closed her eyes sighing, "I asked her not to say anything! If I knew she'd babble about it..."

"You'd have told me. Right?"

"What d'you mean?"

"I mean, isn't that why you told her instead of me? Cause you thought I'd babble to the world?"

"Wha.. no, Brooke" Haley moved on her sit and leaned one hand on the counter, "That's not it at all."

"Well, then why? I took you in my house, Haley. We were roomies for like a year, you became like my best friend! I told you everything and you used to tell me stuff too, you know?"

"I know that..."

"Then why didn't you tell me anything?"

Haley sighed looking around and then shrugged, "I saw her first."

"What?" Brooke frowned.

"I saw Peyton first. I had just got out of the hospital and went to Karen's freaking out cause I thought there was something wrong with me and she was there. She saw how I was and sat down to listen to me. I mean, not that I didn't appreciate but.. that's it."

"That's it?" she asked again and Haley nodded, "Even so you could've told me after that."

"I just didn't want to worry anybody. I didn't even tell Nathan!"

"Yeah, I know."

"So?" Haley stared at her and smiled giving her the pinky, "Friends again?"

"It depends. How was the result?"

"It was good. I'm good."

"Really?" Brooke bit her under lip and took her pinky with her own, "Alright then. I'll take you back as my friend, Tutor Girl."

Haley laughed and pulled her to a hug. Nathan and Lucas came from the back of the club talking and kinda laughing. They saw the girls hugging.

"Sorry to interrupt there, girls" Nathan smirked approaching them, "But I gotta take the Mrs. back home."

Brooke let go of Haley and sat back sighing, "As you wish, Tutor Husband" she smiled winking at her friend and hugged Lucas who was next to her.

"We'll see you guys later?" Haley asked getting out of the bank.

"Sure! How a movie sounds like?" Lucas asked while Brooke nodded hyperly.

"Great! Aw, we never double dated! Not... like this" she added grinning.

Nathan took Haley's hand, "Ok, so it's a date. We'll see you later."

"Bye!" Lucas and Brooke said at the same time while the other couple waved back and left the club.


	5. Chapter 5

_**This is a VERY short one for now, but I hope you guys enjoy it!**_

Peyton finally got to Karen's. She had stopped on her way on the CD's store and now was rushing to make up for her lost time, she didn't want to see a hungry and cranky Brooke. She walked straight to the counter.

"Hey, Karen."

"Hi, Peyton. What brings you here?"

"Hunger" she smiles, "Can you get me two double chocolate milkshakes and a couple of chocolate chips cupcakes?"

"Sure. But, are you really _that_ hungry?" she asked lifting an eyebrow, playfully.

Peyton giggled, "Trust me, I could be. But it's for me and Brooke. She's at the Tric waiting, so..."

"I'll make it fast" Karen nodded and turned around to take her order.

While waiting, Peyton turned around and leaned her back at the counter, sighing and glancing around just when Rachel walked in. _Terrific._, she thought. Walking and smiling at her direction, Rachel took a lean next to her.

"Just who I was looking for."

"Hello, Rachel" Peyton forced to sound nice.

"I was just wondering when are you gonna give me an answer for that great chat we had the other day."

"What chat?"

"About the squad? Remember how we were talking about what's best for us all?"

"You know what, drop it, dude" Peyton shook her head shrugging, "You're not gonna get what you're planning to get anyway."

"I'm not planning anything" Rachel got somewhat serious, "I'm just trying to do the best for the squad for a change. Since all Brooke thinks about it's herself! We have a great routine, ok? Even I can admit that. But we're short one cheerleader and for that we got a gap right in the middle of the choreography. I'm just trying to do the right thing here."

"By kicking out the one person who saved our butts at the Nationals last year? I don't know if anyone told you but Theresa got chickenpox last year on the day of the competition. And if it wasn't for Haley..."

"To join in the last minute and save your butts, you'd be screwed. Yeah, I know that" Rachel cut her in annoyed, "But if I'm not mistaken, you also lost last year."

"We kicked ass with our presentation, ok? We didn't win the main award, but Brooke won as best original choreography."

"Yeah, Brooke. She thinks she owns the squad or something. But this is a democracy" Rachel said with a proud tone on her voice.

Peyton scoffed and smirked, "Oh wake up, Hillary Clinton! This is _high school_, not a democracy."

Karen came back with Peyton's order and handed it to her.

"Here you are."

"Thanks, Karen" she said picking it up and turned to Rachel, "But you should hold on to that thought. Whatever keeps you going, right?" she shook her head and left the café.


	6. Chapter 6

After Nathan and Haley got home, Nathan hit the shower and Haley went to the bedroom. She sat on the bed and crossed her legs together, sitting up straight and comfortable leaning against the pillows. Opening her purse, she took the exams out of it and slowly opened them again. She took a while staring and reading the exams and barely heard Nathan calling out her name.

"Hales! Can you bring me a towel? I forgot!"

As he got no answer, he opened the shower's curtain and shouted again. No answer. He turned off the shower, grabbed a hand towel and covered just his lower front. Dripping water all over the place, he rushed back to the bedroom and found Haley sitting on the bed.

"Uh, hello?"

Haley raised her head and saw Nathan almost fully naked with the small towel, trying to cover himself. She put one hand over her mouth and giggled.

"What are you doing?"

"I was asking for a towel! Didn't you hear me?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't" she got up and opened the closet, picked up a towel and handed to him.

Wrapping himself around it, Nathan looked at Haley and saw some tears brushed off from her face as she had been crying.

"What's wrong?" he asked putting one hand on her face.

"Nothing" she shook her head and sat back again on the bed.

He sat by her side, "Hales... c'mon, what is it?"

She scratched her head and put some hair behind her ear, sighing, "It's just that... I was reading the exams' results again. I guess just now I realized I was actually pregnant" she said looking down at her own hands.

"It was just for a week" he said trying to somehow comfort her, "You didn't even know."

"I know that, but still" she shrugged, "I had a baby inside of me..."

"Don't think like that" Nathan held her hand and shook his head. "It just wasn't meant to be. When time is right, it will be" he smiled, " And we're gonna have lots of cute little babies."

"Lots?" she asked scoffing.

"Yeah!"

"Yeah, that's cause you're not the one giving birth to all of them" she laughed.

He laughed too and then got serious, staring at her, "And they're gonna be beautiful" he brushed some of her hair off from her face, "Just like their daddy."

"Oh!" she slapped him on the arm, slightly.

"No, they're gonna be like you" he smiled again, "And damn lucky to have you as their mommy too."

"You think so?"

"I know so" he leaned and kissed her.

"You're such a good husband" she whispered, "And gonna be a good daddy too."

"You know" he moved on the bed, leaning on to her, making her lay down on the bed, "All this baby talk got me horny."

Haley laughed loudly, "You're so disgusting!"

"Yeah, but you know you want me" he laughed too and kissed her on the neck.

She giggled and put both hands on his face, "Thanks for going there with me today."

"I'd go anywhere for you, Haley."

She smiled and kissed him again, "I love you."

"I love you too."

He kissed her again and laid on top of her bed. For a moment everything was perfect in the world for them. They had each other now. Always and forever.


End file.
